Automatic device for controlling gas and air mixtures



Aug. 11, 1953 F. c. GRIMM, JR., EI'AL 2,648,809

AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING GAS AND AIR MIXTURES Filed June 16, 1949 FRANK 6. @2001, de. Dw/c/vr A5. [4m 02 Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES RATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING GAS AND AIR MIXTURES Application June 16, 1949, Serial No. 99,526

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a combination of calorimetric and electrical means for controlling gas mixtures to produce a mixture of given potential heat value and more particularly to apparatus which will control the mixture of combustible gas constituents so as to automatically maintain the thermal value of such mixture at a constant level.

In the utilization of gas mixtures for urposes requiring a supply of gas of constant thermal value, two problems normally present themselves; the first of which is, the problem of measurin the thermal value of such mixture, and the second is that of controlling the relative mixture of constituents so as to compensate for excesses and deficiencies in materials which determine the thermal value.

Apparatus for measuring the heat value of gas mixtures is disclosed in Patent 2,058,522, issued to A. L. Smyly on October 27, 1936. ratus comprises essentially, a modified Bunsen burner in which a sample of the gas mixture being measured is burned and a means for observing the flame of such mixture to determine its luminosity as a measure of the heat value of the gas. The burner is calibrated to enable an exact adjustment for full combustion of the standard desired mixture of such gas so that any deficiencies in the amount of air mixed with such gas and consequent inefficient combustibility will result in a yellow tip on the flame of the Bunsen burner and any excess of air will result in a darker blue flame. The luminosity of the flame of the burner is thus made to be an indication of the relative thermal value of the sample of gas being tested as compared to the thermal value of the desired mixture. As disclosed in the Smyly patent, this measure of luminosity may be made with a photoelectric cell associated with a microammeter, which may be calibrated to indicate directly the B. t. u. content of the gas mixture.

The second problem encountered in maintaining constant thermal levels in combustible gas mixtures, as mentioned above, is the problem of controlling the composition of the gas mixtures. This has been found possible of solution by associating a novel electrical circuit with the above described measuring means.

In this regard, it is one of the principal features and objects of the present invention to provide a gas mixture control means which will automatically regulate the mixture of combustible gases to maintain a predetermined substantially constant heat of combustion.

It is another object of this invention to provide This appa novel gas mixture control apparatus governed by the thermal value of the gas mixture.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new combination of calorimetric means and a novel electrical control circuit which will automatically determine and maintain the heat content of a combustible gas mixture at a constant value.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel means for regulating mixture of air with a gas to form and maintain a combustible gas of a predetermined constant heat content regardless of the temperature and pressure of such mixture.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel means for automatically governing the cycle of change of gas mixtures to attain a mixture of certain heat content in accordance with a desired standard.

Another and still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel combination which will both indicate the absolute heat content of gas mixtures and actively operate to correct the mixture of constituents to obtain a mixture of desired thermal quality. w

The novel features which we believe to be characteristic of our invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention, however, as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing- The drawing represents a schematic circuit diagram which shows in general the lay-out of elements of apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention.

There is illustrated an arrangement of appa ratus, including an air supply line [0, a motoroperated air supply valve ll connected therein, and a gas supply line l2 to which the air supply line In is joined to form a gas mixture supply line l3. A small sample line I4 is connected into the main mixture supply line l3 to enable continuous sampling of the mixture. The sample is fed through a constant pressure gas regulator l 5 to a modified Bunsen burner calorimeter IS. The pressure regulator l5 may be of a conventional type, such as an adjustable spring-loaded regulator, and is adjustable to enable supply of the sample gas to the calorimeter l6 at a constant pressure, independent of pressure variations in the gas mixture line I3. An accurate measurement of 55 the B. t. 11. content of the gas mixture is thus content of. theburning material may be read d rectly from the burner calibration. A shield II surrounds the Bunsen burner tube I8 and directs the light from the flame through a lens I9 to as photoelectric cell and relay unitZIl.

As mentioned above, the intensity ofjlIumina-w tion of the flame of the burner I6 is dependent upon the quality of combustibility-of-Zthe mixture-'- being burned, and may be considered-to-havean ls inverse function to such quality, since the intensity of illumination from the point; ofthev optimum mixture to poorer qualities gradually increases. ficiency of air in the mixture, the greater is the In other words, the greater'*the"de-'-- As described in-the Smyly patent, the flame corresponding to themixture desired can be arranged.

tohave just. a slight yellow tip,:so that excesses,

agswell las deficiencies; inroxygent may ,be more readilyw-obser-vedc thus enabling '2 a; more positive indication of variances from the ,optimum-ymix turer: The photoelectric:celllunit. 2%] .provides an electrical. signal: current. having .1 a:. direct functi'o'nal: relationship :to: 'theaintensity ofiflameril 1llml1'l3jl3lOn,i whichxsignal current is supplied to raw micro'ammeter.iunit. 2 l'.

The microammeter unit 2i is a formzof double pole-switch or relaysin' that :it has razpair of contactsz22zandr23 each-:nfcwhich is engaged by the indicator..-needle 2 2 i of: the. micro'ammeter unit 2 I dependinguporr whether there isadeficiency or an.

excess of oxygen-int the :gas zmixture :supply line. 33. The directionsof :operationof motor 260i the motor-rdrivenwalvel i is dependent upon which-of:'

the contacts '22 or 3 Eisrsngagedbpthe indicator;

needle :24 :2.

Thezgeneral,.arrangement of the operating ,circui-t for motor 26 includes a-set of relays B;

andC. Therelays Aand B-aresolenoid-operated relays whichrperformuthe function. of. :initiating'; a zcyclevof i'change cor-gas mixture by driving.- the motor 2fiin one directionnr. the other and in ad- Glt'iOILIPIOVldG'thG initial energizat-ionof the con-1 trol elementswhichgovern-the cycleccf changes;

Relay .C siszza imotor-actuatedwtimer switch-..unit driven by ;a relatively small synchronousmotor=2 1 which drives a cam shaft '-to: close the contacts of relaytC for [varying lengths .of:-time:-.in-.1 aimann'er WhlChrW-lll vbefexplained subsequently.

tacts, three of which are normally openandonez of :whichis' normally; closed. A solenoid: 2 8 actu- Q-tGSwfihQifOLll' such contacts ;-29,- 3Il,-3i and 32-.of relay A51. A-sclenoid 33 similarly actuates the cor-- responding foursetsof .contacts 34,455, 36 andsfi'l; of-relay-B: All the contacts of each relay arez actuated simultaneously when? their: respective solenoids'iare energized, the-normally-yopen con-a tacts:gbeinggclosed andwthenormally; closed-con tactsg-beinguopenedrr. The normally:,closed 1contacts .36 =1anda35 :arezthereforeiopened by energizae tionxof -solenoidsi 28 "and fitrrespectively while the normallynpen contacts .29,-3I .and 32; and 34,36: and- 3 .are1-closed-. by energization: ofsuch sole noidsrespectively. I

Energizationnoithe control circuit is effected by electrical power supplied by-a-pair of supply; lines 39 andzfilllvconnected to a suitablesourceof" 4 supply (not shown). Although the circuit herein described is arranged for operation on alterna-ting current, it is obvious that only minor changes are required to cause the circuit to be operable on direct current.

The motor 28 which acts to open or close the Valve ll isaprovided with three-leadssAead 4| which is active in energizing-the motor-t0 drive the valve II to a closed position, a lead s2 which energizes the motor to drive it in a direction to openvalvel hand. a common lead 53 which is active ,.in .energizing the motor whenever it is driven.

Th'ecommondead 53 is connected to power supplyelead AO thr-ough a selector switch 34 which enablesselecti'on between a pair of normally opencontacts it-and 48 through which the common lead 43 may be supplied with current. As

'mentioned'above, a synchronous motor 2! drives a cam shaft which actuates the contacts of the relay '0. The -.c0ntacts:45 and 46 -are:closedrby a2pairrof .-.indiyidual1y;associated: cams 45a and: lfiatrespecti-vely and are provided with theirown. individualclosure periods during the cycleof. control; bypthezsmasterwrelayx C. Iii-this respect. the :timing {period ,ofcontact 45 is madeto be; longer :thanthat of contact dt sothat azselection; may be had between a long period and a short: periodrof: energization: of: .motor 26-during,;each cycle of. control-by the relay 17. Thus the selector: switch:44:;enables a selection between .a.,large; change .ora smallchange'in position ofthevalves: I I and consequently .it is a selection :between a... fast. 0l..'S1QW:i change in: the mixture of ;.gases to. attain; the .desired quality.

Whetherclosing.oropening adjustmentsof the valve II take place is dependent uponwhichiof; the; normally :open: contacts 2 9 and 34 :respeotivcly;isclosedrsince'the closing lead 4| andzthe: openingzlead 42 respectively are connected .to the a power supply;- lead; 39 through. these contacts. It rmayybe seenthat closing radjustments of rvalve I I mayybex effected when the relay :-A" is actuated; and ;that lopeningrzadjustments-may; beeffected 1- whien'rthe. relay-B is :iactuated. Energization of thezrelayAior-B is caused by the engagement of the'microammetermeedle 24, which is connected directly:to the line 39,- with either contact 2210r. 23.,arespectiyelyvto: form. a relay, selector circuit. When;the needle24moves into contact with the. contact 22,:by'reasonnf an excess in theamountof. aair :inithe gas mixture, thesolenoid 28 of, the. relay :A .is :energized through. the normally closed: contact-.z35iof .the-relayB. When the needle-2 t movesintocontactwith the contact 23,,by reasont of-:a;-deficiency in:the amount of air, thesolenoid. 33.;ofthere1ayB is energized through the normallygclosedcontact Bil-of the relay A:

It isazfeature of ourinvention that while the. relay; -A=-=.is: energized to drive the valve: II-to, a closed positiomthe 'relayBcannot be energized" to tmofve-the valve in the-opposite direction, because-.-the=;normally closedcontact 30, through whichuthenrelay B is.energized, is opened. This ieaturealsoexists when. the relay B is -energized, sincathe normally closed-contact .35 opens, thus preventing energization of solenoid 23. of .the:re-. lay A.

(ilosureeof-the contact 32 whenrelay A .is .ener ized by theneedle 24 moving into. engagement With- ,th6. contact. 22,, energizes ,the synchronous m0t0r2l which v,actuates the master relay C. This. motonthen closes the contacts 25 and 46 for the different periods for which thecontacts are..arranged to. be closed, as. described above.

Similarly, actuation of the relay B closes the contact 31 to energize the synchronous motor 21 and close the contacts 45 and 46 of the master relay C.

If the contacts 45 and 46 were the only ones operating in the master relay C to control the cycle of change of the valve I I, then the cycle might be interrupted at any point when the needle 24 moves from the contact with which it is in engagement at the time, thus de-energizing the circuit of the motor 26. Under these conditions the contacts 45 and 46 might still be closed upon subsequent energization of the circuit by the needle 24 and the remaining part of the cycle of operation of the relay C would have to be completed before another could be started. It therefore would be difiicult to predetermine the amount of variation in the position of the valve I I that would occur each time the circuit was energized.

It is therefore another feature of the present invention that a holding circuit is provided to assure that each time the needle 24 is deflected into contacting position, that the variation in valve setting be in accordance with a predetermined time adjustment, thus assuring that the result of each cycle of variation has a controlled effect. Such a holding circuit is provided by a normally open cam actuated contact 41 associated with a cam 41a on relay C. This contact is connected between the power supply lead 39 and in series with both the contact 3| of the relay A and the contact 36 of the relay B. The latter contacts, in turn, are connected directly in series with solenoids 28 and 33, respectively, through which connection with the power supply lead 40 is made. Thus, when either the relay A or the relay B is closed, their respective solenoids 28 and 33 will be energized to hold such relay closed as long as the contact 41 is closed. The contact 41 closes after only a short period of operation of the synchronous motor 21 and is held closed for substantially the entire remaining portion of the cycle of rotation of the cam shaft which closes it. At the end of such cycle, the contact 41 opens and is effective in de-energizing the holding circuit.

A fourth contact 48 associated with an engaging cam 48a on relay is arranged to close for only an instant to energize a transformer 49 just before the end of each cycle of adjustment of the valve II. This short period of energization of transformer 49 generates a voltage in the secondary of the transformer 49 for only that short instant and is effective in energizing a solenoid B which draws the needle 24 to a neutral position from whatever contact the needle is engaging during the cycle of valve position change. Thus, any inertia that the needle 24 might have to returning to a neutral position after the gas mixture has been adjusted to the desired quality, is overcome by the closure of the contact 48.

By way of example, which it not in any way meant to be limiting, the adjustment of timing sequence of the contacts for the relay 0 to obtain the desired operating results may be as follows:

The contacts 45, 46 and 4! close simultaneously after only a short period of energization of the motor 21, this time being of the order of 2 seconds. The contact 45 then opens about 30 seconds later, and approximately seconds after that, the contact 46 opens and contact 48 closes. About 58 seconds after the initial closure of the contact 41, it opens along with the contact 48,

6 thus deenergizing the'control circuit and ending the control cycle.

Summarizing the operation of the control circuit: When the microammeter needle 24 indicates either an excess or a deficiency in the amount of air being mixed with the gas, relay A or B, respectively, is energized and consequently actuated to close contacts which determine the direction in which the Valve motor 26 will be driven to compensate for the variance from the desired mixture. Once either the relay A or B is actuated, the other cannot simultaneously be energized. The relay 0 is actuated as soon as relay A or B is actuated and the common lead 43 for the valve motor 26 is energized through either the contact or 45, depending on whether the selector switch 44 is set for a, fast or'slow change in the gas mixture. The contact 41 is closed a relatively short time after the relay C is actuated and provides a holding'circuit which keeps either the relay A or B energized until a cycle of operation of relay C is completed. The period of operation of the motor28 is determined by the contacts 45 and 45 which energize the common lead 43. If the change in position of the valve H is not sufficient to cause the necessary compensation to bring about the desired mixture in the gas line It, the microammeter needle 24 after once being centered at the end of the control cycle will again move to initiate another cycle of variance. The circuit continues to operate in this manner, opening and closing the valve i I, until finally the adjustment has effected the desired mixture of gas.

An advantage of the cyclic control of our invention is that overshooting is minimized by a momentary time lag to permit the sample line 14 to become purged before additional adjust ment is effected.

While we have shown a particular embodiment of our invention, it will, of course, be understood that we do not wish to be limited thereto, since modifications may be made, and we therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a control apparatus, a pair of relays each having a plurality of contacts, a selector circuit connected to each of said relays through a contact of the other relay to selectively operate one of said relays while disabling the other, a timer switch having a, plurality of contacts, said timer switch connected to a contact of each relay to be energized by operation of the selected relay, said selected relay being held operativ by energization through a timer contact actuated for a predetermined period by said timer switch, and a reversible motor operating circuit including a contact of each of said relays for actuation'by said selected relay to determine the direction of motor operation and a timer contact for actuation by said timer switch during a portion of said relay-holding period to determine the duration of motor operation.

2. In a control apparatus, a pair of relays each having a plurality of contacts, a selector circuit including a double pole switch connected to each of said relays through a contact of the other relay to selectively operate one of said relays while disabling the other, a timer switch having a plurality of contacts, said timer switch connected to a contact of each relay to be energized by operation of the selected relay, said selected relay being held operative by energization through-- a timer contaot-" actuated for a predetermined period by said timer switch; a rever'sihie motor ope'ratingcircuit including a contact cream of 'said relays for actuation by said se- 'leiz'ted relayto determine the --direction' of motor operation and a timer "contact for actuation-by said timer switch during a-portion-of said relay holding period to determine the duration of motor operation, and a'sol-enoid energized through --another timer contact actuated momentarily -aftersaid= m0tor= operating. portion of saidrelay holding period to neutralize said double pole switch preparatory -'to another 7 operation of the apparatus.

-In'a control'apparatus, a pair of relays each-havinga plurality of ooritactspa selector 'cireu-it inoludin'g a double pole switch connected to each ofi'said relays through a -contact ofthe other -re1ay'-to selectively operateone of said relayswhiledisabling the other, atimer switch'having" aplurality of contacts; said timer switch con nectedto a contact-of each relay to be energized by oper'ation' oithe selected relay, eachof said 'relays beingconnected through a respective re+ lay-oontactto a-time'r contact actuated by energizationbf said timer switch-to hold said "Selected relayoperative for" a predetermined *1'J'=:1"iod;"-and a reversible motor operating eircuitineludin'g a contact of each of said relays for actuation b y said selected relay to determine thedirection of m'otor'operatiorr anda timer contact foraotua tionby said-timer switch during aportionof- 'said relay holding period to determine the duration of motor operation.

i i??- DWIGHT TAYLGR.

References" Cited in the'fiIe-of "thiabatnt UNITED STATES-PATENTS 

